WHO: Congo Ebola Outbreak Over

WEDNESDAY, July 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is over, according to the World Health Organization.

The outbreak began in April and was the first in which a new vaccine was quickly utilized, The New York Times reported. At one point, experts were worried the deadly virus might spread throughout Central Africa. But the outbreak was extinguished in less than three months with just 33 deaths.

The last known Ebola case in Congo was in early June, but the WHO had to wait 42 days before declaring the outbreak officially over. That’s the length of two viral incubation periods, The Times reported.

The WHO was harshly criticized for its slow response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa a few years ago that claimed more than 11,000 lives. This time, the WHO took action as soon as a few Ebola deaths were confirmed in Congo.